Filling-end-parting mechanism for looms



A. E. STAFFORD.

FILLING END PARTING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21. 191?.

31 3?2 84 Patented Mar. 29, 1921i,

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entree stares ALFRED E. STAFFQRD, OF HOPEDALE, IIIASSAGHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO DRAPER COR- PORATION, OF HOEEDALE, IvTASSACI-IUSETTS, A CORPORATIQN OF MAINE.

FILLING-END-PARTING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

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Application filed June 21, 1917.

1 0 aZTZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED E. STAFFORD, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Hopedale, county of Worcester, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Filling-End-Parting Mechanism for Looms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to improvements in filling end parting mechanism for automatic filling replenishing looms and the object thereof is to provide a simplified means for positively directing the filling end to be severed into the field of operation of the parting device.

In automatic filling replenishing looms a filling parting mechanism, usually carried by the shuttle feeler advances and severs the end of the filling leading from the selvage of the cloth to the filling carrier about to be discharged at the time transfer takes place, this filling parting device usually is provided with means for engaging the severed end of the filling and upon return movement draws the filling end into the jaws of the temple thread cutter so that the filling end is effectually cut off close to the selvage.

The filling parting device in thus advancing to engage the. filling end passes quite closely over the top of the race of the lay but there is always a sufficient distance to allow a slackened filling end to drop beneath the path of the jaws of the filllng parting device.

In weaving certain kinds of material the filling end has at times a ballooning action which throws it either above or beneath the jaws of the filling parting device so that the filling end is not severed and clamped as it should be. The present invention is designed to provide means for guiding the filling end positively into the field of action, that is, between the jaws of the thread cutting device, thus insuring the proper removal of the filling end. This is accomplished by providing a permanently located yieldable guiding means extend ng across the lay, the members of said guiding means converging to direct the filling endanto the jaws of the filling end parting dev1ce.

It will be understood that a smgle guiding means may be used for raising the filling or for depressing the filling as may be desired Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 29, 1921.

Serial No. 176,214.

instead of double guiding means as illus trated in the accompanying drawing.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing as applied to the usual Northrop loom.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View of the end portion of the loom showing my invention applied thereto, and,

Fig. 2 is a detail plan view of the filling guide and the means for actuating the same.

The mechanism of the loom which is illustrated herein is of the well known Northrop type comprising a frame 1, a breast beam 2 upon which is mounted the hopper stand 3 adapted to carry the usual rotary hopper or feeder for successively delivering filling carriers into the path of a transferrer 4: which is pivotally mounted upon a stud 5 carried by the hopper stand and actuated through the dog 6 when the latter is positioned in the path of a hunter 7 upon the lay 8.

The lay 8 is carried upon the usual swords 9 and is provided with a box 10 to receive the shuttle 11. The upper surface of the lay is provided with the usual race plate 12- The filling parting mechanism as illustrated herein comprises the usual stationary filling cutting and clamping jaws 13 and cooperating movable cutting and clamping jaws 1 1 which are pivotally mounted upon a stud 15 projecting laterally from the shuttle feeler 16. The shuttle feeler is pivotally mounted upon a stud 17 projecting from a bracket 18 connected to the frame 1 and is provided with a laterally extending slotted arm 19 engaging a pin upon the dog 6 which is carried by the transferrer 1.

The shuttle feeler 16 has a stud 20 which is engaged by an arm 21 projecting laterally from the usual controller shaft 22 which is rocked by a vibrating actuator whenever the feeler mechanism detects substantial or predetermined exhausiion of filling or the weft fork detects a breakage or failure of filling.

The arm 21 desirably is provided with a jaw 23 which is carried by said arm and is maintained yieldably in engagement with the stud 20 by a spring 24L secured to a stationary portion of the loom frame. When transfer is called for by the feeler mechanism heretofore mentioned the controller shaft 22 is rocked causing an oscillation of the arm 21 with its jaw 23 which imparts movei'nent to the shuttle feeler 16 so that the latter swings over the top of the approaching lay and through the arm 19 raises the dog 6 into the path of the hunter 7. If the shuttle is improperly positioned and lies in the path of the shuttle feeler it will be engaged with the end of the shuttle feeler and as the lay continues to move forward the shuttle feeler will be forced forward, thus depressing the dog 6 out of the path of the bunter 7 and preventing transfer.

ll hen however, the shuttle is properly positioned the shuttle feeler passes by the end of the shuttle and the filling parting and clamping jaws engage, cut and clamp the filling end leading to the filling carrier about to be discharged.

Under certain conditions and in the'use of certain kinds of filling there is a considerable ballooning action of the filling end upon arrest of the shuttle by the picker so that the filling is sometimes thrown above and sometimes drops beneath the field of operation of the filling parting device.

The present invention is designed to overcome this defect in the operation of the loom and comprises guiding means extending be low or above or preferably both below and above the path of the filling 11Cl,'S t1(l guiding means being so positioned as to direct v the filling end into the field of action of the filling parting means. This guiding device as illustrated herein comprises a wire having a lower lead 25 extending across the lay and positioned closely adjacent the path of movement of the shuttle race and an upper lead 26 lying directly above the lower lead andextending in the same direction.

The guide preferably is formed of wire, both the leads 25 and 26 being integral parts of the wire. The middle portion of the wire passes through a slot 27 in a bracket 28 which is adjustably secured to the hopper stand by a bolt 29 passing through the slot 27. The ends of the leads 25, 26 are connected respectively to coiled springs 30 and 31 which are anchored to lugs 32, 83 in a plate 3 1- which is secured to the frame 1 by a bolt 35. The leads 25, 26 pass below and above the path of the shuttle 11 and consequently lie above and beneath the path of the filling. By adjusting the position of the bracket 28 the tension upon'both leads of the wire guide may be adjusted simultaneously. i

hen transfer is called for and the filling parting device is moved to engage and secure the filling end, one or both of the leads 25, 26 of the guide will serve to direct the filling end into the field of operation of the filling parting device.

In order to insure the guiding of the filling into the parting device the guiding leads 25, 26 preferably are caused to converge toward each other as the filling parting device advances to perform its function. A convenient means for producing this convergence comprises a lever 36 pivotally mounted upon a stud 37 carried by a bracket 38 se is connected to the upper end of a link 4:0

which is pivotally connected at its lower end to the mechanism .which actuates the shuttle feeler, preferably to pin 41 carried by the jaw 23 which forms a part of the mechanism which is oscillated by the controller shaft 22.

By reason of this construction the oscillation of the arm 21 and the jaw 23 by the controller shaft causes the shuttle feeler 16 with the thread carrying device. thereon to move to operative position, at'the same time the link 410 is raised by the movement of the arm 21 and jaw 23, thus causingthe opposite end of the lever 36 to be depressed.

This forces the pin 39 downward into en- .1

gagcment with the lead 26 of the filling end guide and causes it to converge toward the lower lead or guide 25. The springs 30 and 31 which connect the ends of the lower and upper guides respectively to the anchoring device permit a sufiicient yielding movement of the guides tor-allow said guides tov be brought quite closely together in the arc of movement of the filling parting jaws as the latter move to operatingposition, thereby guiding the filling into said jaws.

It will be understood that the embodiment of the invention disclosed herein is of an illustrative character and is not restrictive and that various changes may be made within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an automatic filling replenishing loom comprising transferring mechanism and means for parting the filling end leading to the filling carrier to be discharged; guid ing means-permanently anchored to opposite sides of the loom frame at oppositesides of the path of the lay and extending across the lay above and, below the path of the filling and means operable by the action of the transferring mechanism for causing said guiding means to converge to direct the filling intothe field of the parting means.

2. In an automatic filling replenishing loom comprising transferring mechanism and means for parting the fillingend lead ing to thefilling carrier to be discharged; guiding means comprising a wire yieldably anchored at its ends to the loom frame, presenting two superposed strands extending across the lay and positioned respectively above and beneath the path of the filling and means operable upon transfer for causing convergence of said strands to guide the filling into the field of the parting means.

3. In an automatic filling replenishing loom comprising transferring mechanism and means for parting the filling end leading to the filling carrier to be discharged; guiding means comprising a wire having its ends yield-ably anchored to the loom frame at one side of the path of the lay and passing through a bracket upon the loom frame at the opposite side of the path of the lay, presenting two superposed strands positioned respectively above and beneath the path of the filling and means operable by the action of the transferring mechanism to depress the uppermost strand and thereby to insure the guiding of the filling into the field of operation of the parting means.

4. In an automatic filling replenishing loom comprising transferring mechanism and means for parting the filling end lead ing to the filling carrier to be discharged; guiding means comprising a wire presenting two superposed strands extending across the lay, the ends of the wire being yieldably anchored to the loom frame and positioned respectively above and beneath the path of the filling, a lever carried by the breast beam having means to engage the upper strand of wire and means operable by the transferring mechanism to actuate said lever to cause the same to depress the upper strand toward the lower strand and thereby insure the guidance of the filling end into thefield of the filling end parting means.

5. In an automatic filling replenishing loom comprising transferring mechanism and means for parting the filling end leading to the filling carrier to be discharged, guiding means comprising a wire having its ends connected by springs attached to one side of the loom frame, the said wire extending across the path of the lay, and passing its central portion through a bracket attached to the loom frame.

6. In an automatic filling replenishing loom comprising transferring mechanism and means for parting the filling end leading to the filling carrier to be discharged, guiding means comprising a wire having its ends yieldably connected to one side of the loom frame, the said wire extending across the path of the lay, and passing at its central portion through a bracket attached to the loom frame and means for adjusting said bracket whereby the tension upon the guide wire may be varied.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ALFRED E STAFFORD. 

